5-year-old boy hit by drunk driver in Garden Grove and declared brain dead – NBC Los Angeles

A devastated mother is preparing to say goodbye to her five-year-old son after doctors declared him brain dead following a tragic hit-and-run accident that also left other family members hospitalized.

Jacob Ramirez has been in the hospital since Sunday after a suspected drunk driver hit him, his two siblings and his parents while out cycling in Garden Grove. The boy’s father and sister were seriously injured in the accident.

“Right now I only have 24 hours, which I begged for, to spend as much time with him as possible,” said Angela Hernandez Mejia, the boy’s mother.

After three children and two adults were seriously injured in the hit-and-run accident, the suspected drunk driver was arrested thanks to a Good Samaritan. Hetty Chang reports for NBC4 News on Monday, July 8, 2024 at 4 p.m.

Angela and the family’s 8-month-old daughter were also injured in the accident, but have since been released from the hospital. Angela’s husband and her 6-year-old daughter Gianna are still in the hospital.

The mother said she wanted to stay by her son’s bedside until she had to say goodbye. She told NBC4 that doctors had done a final scan of Jacob’s brain and unfortunately it showed no activity.

“It’s just so hard,” Angela said. “Now I just think about what I could have done differently. I would have even given my life for my son.”

The driver now accused of hitting a family of five in Garden Grove had a blood alcohol level that was nearly three times the legal limit.

Ceferino Ramos, 29, of Santa Ana, was arrested in connection with the accident. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the suspect’s blood alcohol content was 2.2 – almost three times the legal limit. He faces charges including drunk driving causing bodily harm and hit-and-run causing permanent injury or death.

Ramos was arrested after a Good Samaritan followed him as he attempted to flee the scene. The Good Samaritan called 911 and gave law enforcement updates on the suspect’s whereabouts while following him.

As the family grapples with the tragedy, Angela said she and her loved ones are grateful for the outpouring of support from the community.

“Of course I have to be strong for my other children,” she said. “But as I told my mother, nothing will change. Right now I have to think about what to do with my son and where to bury him. Your father is in a critical situation. Your father cannot even say goodbye.”